“I don’t think people fully understand so I’m just gonna say it right off the bat. Jason “Rowdy” Cope was and has always been The Steel Woods.” That’s how fellow musician Brent Cobb described the importance of the band’s co-founder, co-songwriter, and guitarist in an extensive Facebook post. Cope passed away in his sleep earlier this year on January 16th at age 42. He lived with both physical and mental agony before being diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes in late 2018, and, in recent years, overcame the twin demons of alcohol and PTSD. After his diagnoses, Jason had done all the right things to get his life back on track and was clean, sober and in good mental health according to his family, and proven by his clear toxicology report.